Tim Morehouse '00 on the eve of the Olympics

Looking at a future that combines love of fencing and of children

Photo courtesy of Fencing.com

Tim Morehouse '00, right, lunges toward his opponent in the Round of 32 at the London Olympics.

By Susan Chaityn LebovitsJuly 23, 2012

He's taught school in the Bronx, written his autobiography and stripped off his clothes for ESPN. Now Tim Morehouse ’00 is spending his last days before the London Olympics focusing on what it will take to bring home the gold. Opening ceremonies are July 27, and Morehouse will be competing July 29 — his 34th birthday — and Aug 3.

“I’m the oldest person on our team, but the Italians have a fencer who is 40,” says Morehouse. In Europe, he says, it’s easier to keep older athletes on board because the teams are often supported by the government, complete with competitive salaries and healthcare.

Age is just a number, after all, and Morehouse refuses to let his years rattle his psyche.

“On the positive side I have a lot of experience,” says Morehouse. “This will be my third Olympic games. I have a good grasp of what the experience will be like; it can be very overwhelming trying to compete and dealing with all of the fanfare.”

Morehouse's autobiography will be on sale in October.

Physically, Morehouse feels he’s still in great shape, and “can still run around with the younger kids,” but admits it takes him a little bit longer now to both warm up and recover.

Who does he feel his toughest competition will be?

“The first thing is to always prepare yourself,” says Morehouse. “If you’re not ready to go, it doesn’t matter who you’re competing against.”

The Russian team, he says, is very strong and will probably be one of the match-ups. The Russians beat the United States by one point in 2004, and the United States beat the Russians by one point in 2008 to win the silver medal, so it appears that they are headed for a third Olympic rematch.

Two members of the medal-winning team will be returning (Morehouse and James Williams) and there are two new fencers: Daryl Homer and Jeff Spear. The Russian team will also have two returning fencers – Aleksey Yakimenko, who is ranked number two in the world, and Nikolay Kovalev – and two new members.

NBCOlymbics.com will be streaming the games, and fans of Morehouse can get behind-the-scenes video coverage sent to to their smartphone via Boston-based burst, a free and private smartphone application. Download the app, then sign up for Morehouse’s videos, which will be sent directly to your smartphone or computer.

When Morehouse returns from the Olympics, he will launch Fencing-in-the-Schools, the non-profit he founded to bring his sport to urban and rural public school youth. The goal, he says, is to help improve health, academic performance and self-esteem.

Morehouse’s dedication providing opportunities to school-aged children and teens is rivaled only by his passion for fencing. He spent three years with Teach for America after graduating Brandeis in 2000.